Functions of Caste System in India – Essay

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Read this comprehensive essay on the various functions of Indian Caste System !

Today, due to the impact of modernization and industrialization caste is regarded as a social evil. However, history clearly shows that it was due to the caste system that the Hindus could preserve themselves from the Muslim invasions and rule.

The rigidity of the caste system prevented the people from changing their religion.

The functions of the caste can be divided into the following three parts:

1. Functions of caste in the individual’s life.

2. Functions of caste system in the community life.

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3. Functions of caste system in the social life.

1. Functions of Caste in the Individual’s Life:

Caste system guides individual’s life from his birth till death. It can be stated that it influenced his life even before his birth indirectly by influencing daily lives of his or her parents. Wilson has rightly stated that Caste gives its directions for recognition, acceptance, consecration and sacramental dedication and vice versa of human being on his appearance in the world.

Right from infancy to manhood it ordained methods of seeking, sipping, drinking eating and voiding of washing, rinsing, anointing and smearing; of clothing and ornamenting of speaking reading, listening and reciting meditations, singing, working, playing and fighting. It interferes, in short, with all the relations and events of life. An individual is affected by caste system in his personal life in the following respects:

(i) Determination of Social Status:

In caste system birth determines the social status of an individual. Wealth, power or poverty cannot alter it. Thus he finds himself free from the greed for wealth which is a common malady of the present age. He pursues his obligations without the lust for wealth and power.

(ii) To provide Mental Security:

The caste system provides mental security to the individual. Through the caste a person has to follow a fixed occupation and he also knows where he is going to marry and what type of social life he has to follow.

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In this way, the pattern of life to be allowed by the individual is determined by the rules of the caste. Hence, a person has not to bother about the courses of life he has to follow because everything is predetermined.

(iii) Selection of Occupation:

From the birth, the individual knows the type of occupation he has to fellow. Apart from this, he is also given the training in the profession which he supposed to follow. This provides him with a proper frame of mind about the nature of the occupation he has to pursue.

(iv) Selection of Life Partners:

The caste system has laid down the rules of endogamy. By this ride a person has to marry within his own caste or sub-caste. In this manner, the selection of mate depends upon the caste rules.

(v) Control over Behaviour:

Every caste has its own rules and codes of conduct which guide both individual and social behaviour. Thus, anarchy in human relations is greatly controlled.

2. Functions of Caste System in the Community Life:

Caste influences community life in the following manner.

(i) Maintenance of the Purity of Blood:

Though purity of blood has no scientific base, yet from the view point of race or breed caste system is one of the best means for keeping the purity of race.

(ii) Maintenance of Religious Ideas:

Religion is one of the main forces which lifted mankind from its early barbarian late to a more human level. Caste system in India was to a great extent responsible for keeping intact lofty feeling and ideas of Hindu religion.

(iii) Social Status in Society:

Every caste has a definite status in the caste hierarchy. To maintain us position of same light, each caste tried to incorporate m it certain codes of good behaviour and social obligation, which every member of the particular caste was bound to follow.

(iv) To Safeguard Culture:

Caste is a local group and every caste has its own style of life. The caste system has imposed certain restrictions on marriage, interdining and has also laid down us for commensality. By restricting the social circle of relationship, the caste has been able to maintain the continunity of culture and has safeguarded against the infiltration of alien, culture elements in the caste structure.

3. Functions of Caste System in the Social Life:

Caste system has its utility not only for its members or itself but does certain beneficial tasks for the whole society of Hindus. In fact, it is the very basis of Hindu social organisation. Following are some of the main roles which caste system plays in relation to the social life of the Hindus:.

(i) Development of Social Order:

Caste system was the main factor which caused the development and growth of Hindu social organisation for a considerable period According to Dr Majumdar, cast system did a great service for the Hindu community by providing a common form for costive effort and agitation. Caste helps in social groups together in spite of contradictory group philosophies and integration in our society. Thus, it is evident that the caste system was die uniting force which kept together innumerable social groups within India and combined them to act as one of the most coordinated social organizations in the world. Different religious order, i.e. Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists and other similar groups and organisation were united into one whole by the caste system.

All these groups have different natures and philosophies having contradictory conceptions about life and its purposes, yet on one amongst them regards himself out of Hinduism as a whole. J.H. Hutton has rightly pointed out that it will be understood then that the most important of all its functions of caste perhaps is or has been to integrate. It was this assimilative character of Indian society which in its turn, was the direct outcome of caste system which absorbed various invading tribes like Sakas, Huns, Mongols etc.

(ii) Implementation of the Principle of Division of Labour:

It is a well-established fact that division of social labour is the first condition for smooth and efficient working of society. Caste system has induced persons of different castes to perform the social duties allotted to them without any greed. Because members of a particular caste believe that by virtue of their birth they have to undertake the jobs which are associated with their castes. At the same time, the theory of Karma states that by performing dutifully all his social labours he can rise in the next birth to higher level of caste hierarchy.

(iii) As a Means of Political Stabilizer:

The caste system has been responsible for political stability in India. It is responsible for the preservation of India from complete barbarism and has been the basis of orderly Government. It has been responsible for a defense against despotism. S.C. Hill has pointed out that whereas in Europe we are accustomed to think of political and social system of the country as the same thing; the Hindu regards them as distinct and separable.

(iv) As a base of Indian Social Structure:

The caste system provides every individual of the society a definite social status and ways for social intercourse. It makes a person member of a particular caste since his birth and then channelises his or her life throughout the rest of the period. In this way an individual is protected from all types of frustration which are the outcome of an unorganized social order. According to Dr. Bhagwan Das the caste system of ancient India is a well-conceived scientific socialism. Caste system also determines the kind of education for each community. Thus, education of Brahmin was based upon religion that of Kshatriya was based upon the necessity of defense and so on.

Thus, we find that the caste system in India evolved to serve certain useful social tasks and it helped to a great extent the development of Hindu social organization. The role played by the caste system in the unification and scientific organization of different kinds of institutions and groups cannot be gainsaid.